


Love Is A Battlefield - Heartache to Heartache We Stand

by JD_Steiner



Series: Love Is A Battlefield [2]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:21:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22134706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JD_Steiner/pseuds/JD_Steiner
Summary: I was not happy with the way the Shameless writers left Ian and Mickey in "Debbie Might Be A Prostitute." S10 Ep.8. and just had to write on what I think will happen.Ian has been assessed at Cook County, treated for his broken leg and released. Mickey has waited for him and feels bad about what he did and the fact that Ian is now pissed off at him.
Relationships: Ian Gallagher & Mickey Milkovich
Series: Love Is A Battlefield [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1781638
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	1. Do I stand in your way?

The automatic doors of the emergency room at Cook County opened to the grey cold of Chicago. Ian limped out on crutches, the look of visible pain on his face. His cheek, where Mickey had punched him already starting to bruise.

Mickey is mere steps behind, following him out the door.

Reaching in his pocket for his smokes, Ian feels the bottle of pain killers that the doctor had just given him and debates taking one...hell maybe more. Taking a smoke out of the pack, he lights it, leaning on the crutches for support.

“Go away, Mickey.”

Mick sighs, lighting a smoke of his own as Ian begins to limp away “Hey! Don't.....limp away from me!”

Ian rolls his eyes, turning back as Mickey joins him at his side

“Look, before we went in there you were talkative and wouldn't shut up about us getting married. Now I can't get a fuckin' word outta you.”

Ian just glances back at Mickey but keeps limping away.

“So this is how it's gonna be then? You're just gonna give me the silent treatment and just fuckin' ignore me?” Mick sighed again, hanging his head as Ian turns away from him but this time didn't go anywhere. Silence fell between them, filled by the noises of Chicago as they puffed away on their cigarettes.

Ian finished first, throwing the butt to the ground, he begins to limp away.

“Hey, where you goin?”

Ian doesn't say a word, not even looking back, he just keeps moving.

“Hey, don't you limp away from me!” Mick calls after him with no response. Throwing down the remainder of his cigarette before chasing after him.

“Ian!....” No response so he yells louder “Gallagher!” still no response. It stayed like this between them all the way to the 'El' platform where finally, Ian rounded on him.

“What the Fuck Mickey?”

“I'm not the one who didn't sign the fuckin application for a marriage license.” he pointed the envelope containing their paperwork that Ian still held.

“You didn't have to punch me! Or break my leg!” Ian balancing himself on the metal crutches

“Yeah, well you're the one who fuckin' talked me to it being a good idea, only to get cold feet when you found out Paula was dead and that neither of us was responsible.”

“Talked you into it? Mickey, I thought that we would get married because we love each other...Do you love me?”

At this point, their train pulled in and the doors opened, they got on. Ian taking a seat next to the door and Mickey stood.

The train pulled away without either of them saying a word until they stepped off of the train on the south side, close to home.

Ian exited the train first, hobbling awkwardly but as fast as he could, with Mickey snapping at his heels.

“Hey, Ian, what the fuck is up with you?”

Ian spun around “You didn't answer my question, do you love me?”

“Yes, you know that.”

“Then tell me where you were the night Paula was killed.”

“Why does that matter?” Mick furrowed his brow getting defensive.

“Because you definitely weren't with me!”

“Just because we are together doesn't mean that we have to spend every fucking second together.” Mick glances at Ian nervously before asking the question that is on his mind at this very second. Ian notices

his hesitation “What's that look for?”

“Are we, you know, together?” he asks nervously.

Ian sighs deeply “As of right now Mick, I dunno.”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

Ian doesn't say anything, he just turns and heads towards the stairs. Mick turns away for a moment, tears in his eyes, unsure of how to process what Ian had just said. How the fuck do you go from almost getting married to broken up in the span of three hours? Oh yeah, right, you punch your fiance in the face.

“Ian! Wait up!” he chased after Ian who was struggling but had made it halfway down over the stairs.

“Go away, Mickey.” Ian's voice was shaky with anger.

“Can we talk about this?” Mickey's tone sounded a little desperate as he continues to follow Ian down the street towards the Gallagher house.

“I said, Go Away, Mickey!” Ian yelled, not even bothering to turn his head, this time, his voice was filled with sadness.

Mickey steps in front of Ian, gently placing his hands on Ian's chest, looking into his emerald green eyes that withheld tears. “I Love You and I'm sorry that I punched you. Can we just talk or something? We could go grab a beer, eat. I dunno about you but I'm starved.”

Balancing himself on the crutches, Ian pushes Mickey's hands away first before pushing Mickey, hard. Mickey falls to the sidewalk, backward, barely avoiding hitting his head. “Ow! Fuck, OK, I admit, I deserved that...” he pushes himself up to a sitting position. “Are we good?...”

He barely got the words out before there was a flash of metal and the sting of it as it hit his cheek followed by the rubber foot on the crutch being jammed into his ribs. This was repeated another three times as he lay on the sidewalk, groaning in pain “What the FUCK, Gallagher?” he asks, staring up at Ian who's face reads sadness and disappointment with a hint of red-headed revenge.

Ian doesn't say anything, instead, he just turns and hobbles away up the block with Mickey staring after him from the ground.


	2. Searching Our Hearts For So Long

A little while later, Ian is upstairs in the bathroom, sizing up the Mickey's fist-shaped bruise on his cheek as he gingerly balances himself on his crutches; when Debs appears at the doorway.

“Ian! What the hell happened to you?” she steps into the bathroom, standing next to Ian at the sink, sizing up the bruise for herself. “What did you do to your leg?”

Ian exhaled deeply, looking at his little sister, disappointment, and sadness in his face “Mickey, that's what happened.”

“He did this to you?”

“Yep.”

“What happened?”

“Close the door.” Debs does as her brother asks, interested in what had happened and already wants to do anything she can to help.

“Big brother, little sister privilege?”

“Of course. Pinky swear!” The siblings locked pinky fingers just like when they were kids.

Ian explains to her about what happened to Paula and how he had asked Mickey to meet him at Patsy's to share something he had found out and about spousal privilege which he now shares with her as well.

“Hmm, good to know, you know, for if I ever get married. So then what happened?”

“I Proposed..”

“What?”

“Yep! It wasn't planned or anything like that it just....felt right.”

Ian winces in pain as he leans on the walking boot on his foot, extending almost halfway up his leg.

“The pain killers they gave me at the hospital are wearing off. In my room, in my jacket pocket, there's a bottle of pills.”

Debs leaves the bathroom, going to the boys' room she retrieves the pills, returning a minute later. Opening the bottle, Ian pops two pills in his mouth and drinks some water from the sink to wash them down.

“Whoa, go easy on those. So what did Mickey say?”

“He said yes.” This earned a somewhat smug smile from Ian “Everything was OK until we got to the courthouse.

His stupid P.O. Sent him a video of a news broadcast of the CPD arresting Shelley for pushing Paula out that window. That's when they called us to come up and finish filling out the application for our marriage license, you know, the stuff you have to get witnessed. Standing up there, I don't know what came over me I.. I just couldn't do it. Something felt...I dunno....off.”

Ian leaves the bathroom, hobbling to his room and sitting down on the bed, his back up against the wall. Debs grabs a pillow for him and helps him prop his leg up.

“Thanks, sis.”

“No problem.” She sits on the edge of the bed, scooting back until she was next to him “We hardly ever get to talk like this anymore, it's kinda nice.”

“Yeah, it's nice to be able to have a sister always close to talk to. I still miss Fiona. No offense or anything.”

“None taken, I miss her too.” Debbie takes her brother's hand “Then what happened?”

“Right, so I stormed out with Mick right on my heels. Things got heated and when I asked him how he felt about all of this, 'cause I care about him; he punched me. I fell down over the stairs and broke my leg.”

“Dam!...how bad is it?”

“Broken in a couple of places, gonna take probably four to six weeks in the cast, depending on how I heal.”

“How about you and Mickey?”

“I dunno, I don't want to talk to him right now. Not until I figure a few things out on my own, ya know. I want us to get married because we love each other, not just out of convenience it's just...it scares the hell outta me. I guess it's because I've never had a great example of marriage to go by.. Frank and Monica were a shit example of what marriage should be. I'm glad I recognize it for what it is and that it's not something that I want. ”

“Is that what you are afraid you will end up like if you stay with Mickey?”

Ian furrowed his brow at the question “I dunno...maybe?” he looks down at his leg which is still kinda throbbing, the pain killers only took the edge off.

“What about Kev and Veronica? They have been together a long time and have been through a lot together. Maybe they would be good to talk to about this?”

“Yeah..maybe I will.” Ian smiled at her

“Most families are screwed up in some way, not just ours.” Debs smiled back at him

“How do you know just what to say, little sister?” He gives Debbie a hug.

“I learned from the best!” was all Debbie had to say, both knew she meant Fiona.

Downstairs, the back door opened and shut and there was the sound of keys being tossed onto the kitchen table. A few seconds later, the sound of boots on the stairs and Mickey's voice, calling out.

“Honey, I'm Home!!” followed by about twenty seconds of silence, followed up with

“Ian...Ian are you here? If you are, we need to talk about this.”

In the room, Ian began to panic “I seriously don't want to talk to him right now. Please, help me!” his voice carrying a hit of desperation in his plea as Mickey reached the top of the stairs and was only a few steps from the bedroom door.

Debbie looked at Ian “I got this.” just as there was a sharp knock on the door making them both jump a little. This was followed by Mickey's voice from behind the door as the knob jiggled

“Ian, are you in there? If you are, open the door please, we need to talk.”

Debbie walked over to the door, opening it a crack, trying to block him from seeing inside.

“Hey Mick, what's up?” she greeted him with a smile.

“Oh, don't you 'What's Up' me, I know Ian's in there. Let me in, I need to talk to him.

“What's up? Is everything O.K.?”

Mickey rolled his eyes and was going to tell her off but deciding against it would be a better choice if he wanted to get to Ian. _Remember, pick your battles, Mickey._

“No, everything's not O.K. I just..really need to talk to Ian.”

Now Deb had sized him up, the bruise on his face that was going purple and the fact he was hunched over a little bit, holding his ribs with one hand.

“What the hell happened to you? Did you get mugged on the way over here or something?”

“Ian's what happened. He smacked me across the face with one crutch first and I went down, hard. Then he fuckin' laid into my ribs with the rubber end, making sure I wouldn't get up and chase him when he decided to hobble away. I think he cracked a few of 'em.”

“Shit, do you wanna go to the hospital? I can take you, I have wheels now.” Debbie offered, more as a distraction, hoping he would go so Ian could have some time to think.

“Nah, I'll be alright. I .. I just wanna see Ian.”

“I really think that you should go to the hospital. You know, in case you did crack a rib and you're bleeding internally or something.”

“Thanks but that's alright.” Mickey smiles at the attempt “But I think I would know if I needed to go to the hospital. Nice attempt though, but you can't distract me.”

Debbie stands her ground at the door as Mickey puts his foot in between the door and the frame so she couldn't close it on him. Not that it mattered, he knew how to pick the lock anyway.

“He doesn't want to see you, Mickey.”

“Ian! Please, can we talk?”

“Go Away, Mickey!!” came Ian's angry response from within the room.

“A-Ha so he Is in there!”

“Fuck Off!” This time the anger was accompanied by sadness as Ian withheld a sob.

“Where am I supposed to go? Now what?”

Debbie just shrugged her shoulders honestly not knowing the answer to this question.

“Let me give you this piece of advice though, I think you should leave, at least for the night and let things cool down between the two of you.”

By this point, both Frannie and Freddy are awake from their naps and crying because of their Uncles fighting.

“Now see what I have to deal with? Please just leave, Mickey.”

“Can I get some of my stuff at least? A change of clothes, deodorant?”

Debbie looked back at Ian who nodded his blessing before moving aside to let Mickey in the room, giving them both a look, accompanied by a verbal warning “Now the two of you play nice for a few minutes so I can get the kids back to sleep.”

The interior of the room was lit only by the desk lamps at each bedside as the household would be preparing for bed soon enough.

Aside from himself and Ian, the room was empty so Mickey closed the door, ensuring at least a warning before anyone else in the house entered. Looking around, he found an empty grocery bag that had been placed in a garbage can beside the desk, taking it he went to Ian's dresser. Opening one of the drawers he took out his clothes and put them in the bag. Now that he was in here, feeling Ian's presence in the room wasn't so great. He just had this negativity coming off of him like anything and he bet if he looked over right now...

Yep, Ian was giving him what he called the 'ginger glare of death.'

“Well, I guess that answers that question....” he went back to packing his things.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Came Ian's voice, quietly (think Jeremiah when he meets Jim Gordon and Bruce Wayne for the first time.)

“Huh? What's that, mumbles? I thought you weren't speaking to me.”

“I asked, What's That supposed to mean?” Ian asked again, louder now, raising his head to look at Mickey. His eyes red and freckled face streaked with tears.

“I...I don't know if I can do this anymore, Mick...” he said, sobbing again “We're together, we break up, get back together only to break up again. Maybe that's why I thought marriage was a good idea, but now, I dunno.”

“Dunno what?”

“If maybe we're not so good together after all.” Ian paused, closing his eyes, he leaned his head back against the wall and breathed in and sighed deeply “There, I said it...”

“You know what, Fine! If that's what you want! I'm outta here and I never wanna hear from your ass again, you hear me?” Mickey grabs the bag containing his clothes and stomping over to the door, he throws it open and it bounces off of the end of the bunk bed. Turning back to Ian before he leaves, he adds

“I'm sorry I ruined your life.”

Before he exits the room and stomps down over the stairs. Angry footsteps followed through the kitchen and out the back door that slammed, waking Freddy again who Debs had just gotten back to sleep.

Rolling her eyes, Debbie stuck Freddy's pacifier in his mouth and luckily it soothed him quickly. Once he was almost asleep, she was able to creep out of the room, pulling the folding door across behind her.

Creeping quietly down the hall, she tapped on the door to the boys' bedroom a couple of times before entering.

“Ian?”

Ian was lying on the bed with his back to her. The bedding was pulled up all the way over his head, this wasn't good.

“What happened?” Crossing the room, she sat on the edge of the bed putting her hand on her older brother's back, rubbing it gently.

“We...we broke up...” he choked out, crying so hard, he was almost unable to speak.

“Oh Ian, I heard you two down the hall. I'm sorry.”

“He said he never wants to hear from me again.”

“Just give yourselves both some time to calm down. I'm sure you guys can work it out. I've noticed that no matter what, you two always end up back together.”

“But, what if this is it?”

“You don't know that. Hey, C'mon marriage is a big step to take and you both have to be sure you're ready for it, that it's both something you truly want and that you are willing to take on each other's shit, whatever that may be....wait, is he hiding something from you?”

Ian nodded “Yep, he won't tell me where he was the night Paula was killed, even though we now know that neither one of us was responsible.”

“Do you trust him enough that you can be with him?”

“I..I don't know.”


End file.
